Archive for July, 2009

Happy Friday!

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to bust out of here for the weekend. I'm hoping for that perfect mix of beach time and sewing...what? A girl can hope, can't she?

In the spirit of yesterday's post, I thought I'd end the week with a round-up of some sewing websites/blogs/forums that I've found handy as I've learned to sew. There's nothing as educational as actual hands-on experience, of course, but a good how-to book or website goes a long way.

• label-free provides sewing resources, hints, tricks and tips for people who want to make their own clothes. Check out the interfacing and sewing-machine needle guides, the links to free patterns, and the book recommendations, all listed in the right sidebar.
• Sew Mama Sew is more than just an online store; check out their impressively active blog and forum for project ideas, how-tos, and handy Q+As.
• The Purl Bee has a great list of patchwork and sewing tutorials (see left-hand sidebar) and a glossary, plus tons of project ideas.
• BurdaStyle is part sewing how-to, part social-networking, part buy-and-sell. Open-source patterns mean you don't have to pay to use them and you can update/alter them as  you please.
• And on a slightly different note, not too long ago Alicia at Posy Gets Cozy asked her readers "Do you sew?" She got almost 1,250 responses, and some of the stories are just great. Reading them is almost as good as sitting down at the sewing machine (except you won't get all those little threads all over your lap!).

Do you have a favourite sewing blog or website? It'd be great if you'd share it in the comments. And don't forget, you've got until 5 p.m. today to enter this week's contest.

See you on Monday, hopefully with another new shirt to share!

Good morning, friends.

I know it's Thursday, but I'm still thinking about what I did last weekend. No, there was no wedding to go to, no long drive to the cottage – just a regular weekend at home – but my Sunday at the sewing machine was momentous in its own way.

For the first time in more than five years, I made a garment. This is a big deal; there's a reason that the last time I attempted anything other than a quilt or a tote bag was five years ago. (Let's just say the pyjamas made out of repurposed flannel sheets and the three-sizes-too-small twirly skirt were not my finest sewing moments.)

But: I made a shirt. It took me the better part of 6 hours, but I ended up with an actual shirt. And not a "homemade" shirt with one arm longer than the other and lots of loose threads hanging everywhere, but a shirt that fit. I liked it so much that I wore it to work on Monday.

(Trust me: I looked better without a giant camera in front of my face. Also, know that I went home that night and dusted that mirror!!)

The shirt is the "Summer Blouse" from the Heather Ross book Weekend Sewing. It's a beautiful book, and for the most part the directions are clear and the diagrams easy to follow. I'd never made a neck placket before, or sewn a set-in sleeve, and I managed both without much trouble just by following the directions.

That said, there were a few tricks I had up my sleeve that probably made things a little easier. First off, I remembered reading a review of this pattern by Erin of House on Hill Road, and I kept that webpage open while I sewed. (Having her comments there was a bit like the reassurance you get from using your mom's old cookbook, the one with the helpful hints scribbled in the margins.) A hint in the comments on Erin's post made me go looking for an errata page for the book, where I learned that some of the pattern markings were missing from the pattern sheets (which was a relief, because I was starting to think I needed glasses!). I also tripped over to the Weekend Sewing Flickr group, which has, in addition to more than 700 project photos, a very informative discussion group. (All of which left me wondering: How on earth did people make things before the Internet?)

But there's a bigger question here. Now that I've seen how much work went into making this one piece of clothing, how can I justify walking into a big-box store and walking out, $10 later, with a brand-new shirt? It's tempting, sure – who has the time or ability to make all their own clothes these days? – but is it fair? If you look at that $10 shirt, then take into account retail markup, wholesale markup, shipping costs and material costs...how much is the person (or people) who actually made the shirt getting paid? It's certainly nowhere near minimum wage. Fair-trade, a word that entered my awareness when I started drinking coffee, seems to be gaining mainstream acceptance these days; it's something we think about when we're at the coffee shop, or buying bananas, or thinking about which hand lotion to buy. But aside from a few well-publicized campaigns, it seems like people aren't as concerned about fair-trade clothing. Is it time that we stopped thinking about the next great bargain?

It's a big issue and one I'm still working through in my head. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Are handmade clothes worth the effort? Do we pay a fair price for the clothes we buy?

Hello!

I love it when you write in to share your crafty successes with me; doubly so when you've made something using a prize you won in a Make+Do giveaway. So you can imagine how pleased I was to find an email from Evelyn (winner of Giveaway #8) in my inbox this morning.

In her contest entry, Evelyn said she'd use the scrapbooking-related prize to document her twin sons' first year of school. Now, she writes:

I've completed a couple pages of the documentation of passing kindergarten for my twin boys. I've used some of the paper from the prize that you sent out to me!! They brought home so much great art this year but its impossible to keep it all so I got this great idea from Scrapbooks Etc. magazine. It was hard just picking out the best 12 pieces! Anyways, here's a couple pics!

What a great way to preserve those special memories. Evelyn, thanks so much for sharing with us.

Are you a Make+Do prize winner? Have you made something with your winnings? E-mail me and I'll post your great results on the blog. And don't forget to enter this week's contest! Have a great day.

Good morning folks!

I've been following the blog all buttoned up for a while now – I like the down-to-earth sewing advice that Melissa (a Canadian) provides, and I enjoy the glimpses she shares of everyday family life in Portland, Ore. As if that's not enough, last week Melissa brought back a relic from my childhood: the elastic belt. Behold:

I was so excited to see this – it instantly brought back memories of my own elastic belt, one of my favourite accessories from a time when the most important item on my agenda was my daily 10:30 a.m. appointment with Mr. Dressup. Mine was also blue and red, but it said "jeans jeans jeans" all the way around it. (I know this because my mum and I talked about it at length the other day after she read the same post. We think it got hand-me-downed away – but that's OK. I don't think it'd fit now anyway!)

Fabricland has a big ol' sale on right now, and I'm heading up there at lunch to see what they have in the way of awesome elastic. Melissa provides info about that fancy buckle (it's called a "surcingle buckle") and where to order them online, but you could also check at your local fabric store, haberdasher or – no, really – tack shop. And at less than a dollar per buckle...well, let's just say that's a lot of Christmas presents for not much money!

(Speaking of Christmas gifts, don't forget to enter this week's giveaway.)

Thank you for sharing, Melissa!

Hi friends,

Happy Monday. Check out that list of great Canadian craft blogs! Thanks so much for sharing your favourites with me.

Congratulations to this week's winners,  Lori  and Wanda!  I can't wait to see what you make with that beautiful bamboo yarn from Patons.

For this week's giveaway, I've got something a little different. The Kirigami Home Decor Kit takes paper cutting to a new level, with tons of great ideas on how to use these beautiful paper-cut designs in your home. The box includes an instructional booklet (with over 20 projects to make), origami paper, tracing paper and a pair of scissors. Best of all, these projects are actually something you'd use in your home – in fact, I've got a plain white lampshade that could use a little bit of kirigami magic.

(What's kirigami, you ask? I had to look it up, too. It's a combination of paper folding and cutting - think paper snowflakes and you're halfway there.)

To enter to win, leave a comment on this post by 5 p.m., Friday, July 17. I'll post a winner here next Monday.  My question this week: Have you started your Christmas crafting yet?

Hi folks,

Just popping in to say have a great weekend. If you're looking for a project to keep you occupied after you enter this week's contest, why not go check out this neat origami site? (via whipup)

See you next week!

Hi there,

This morning I got an email from a good friend of mine suggesting that, since I'd been writing about memory quilts, I should share the story of a quilt I made for my sister a couple of years ago. Good point, MJ! Here it is.

In 2007, after two years of hard work, my sister Whitney graduated from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy as a registered massage therapist. I wanted to give her a graduation present that acknowledged the "hands-on" nature of her new career and also applauded her success – as well as reminded her that no matter what, her friends and family would always be there to give her a hand.

Finally I decided on a quilt – but not just any quilt. This project was handmade by family and friends, featuring the embroidered handprints and signatures of 35 of her nearest-and-dearest.

This collaborative project took four months, $40 in postage, countless secret conversations and emails, hours of hand-stitching, and one bus trip to rural Nova Scotia (to be professionally quilted, with excellent results). Looking at that smile...I think it was worth it!

Have you ever made a memory quilt?

ps. Don't forget to enter this week's giveaway! With only 10 entries so far, and TWO prizes, your odds are looking pretty good.

Hi friends,

One of my favourite blogs is the Detroit-based Sweet Juniper!, and recently I've also been enjoying Sweet Juniper: WoodCraft. The blogs are both thoughtful and thought-provoking; they make me laugh and, often, touch my heart. The WoodCraft post that went up last Tuesday was no exception. I'm not always a fan of T-shirt quilts, but this one, and the story behind it, left me sitting at my desk with tears in my eyes.

Of course, as often seems to happen in the blogosphere, it wasn't long before I saw another touching t-shirt quilt; this one made for a young lady's 18th birthday. This has a different style and a different feeling, made as it was for a girl who'll be heading off to college in the fall, but it too left me feeling a bit wistful.

If you're interested in making a quilt like this, head over to look at our instructions for making a memory quilt. Or take a stroll through blogland. There's lots and lots and lots of inspiration (and instruction) out there.

If you have made a quilt like this, I'd love to hear about it. E-mail me photo or leave a link in the comments section, and I'll feature it on the blog!

ps Don't forget to enter for your chance to win one of TWO prizes. Each winner will receive an assortment of Bamboo Baby yarn from Patons. To enter, leave me a link to your favourite Canadian craft blog on yesterday's post. As usual, the contest closes Friday at 5 p.m. and I’ll post a winner next Monday. Good luck!!

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note today – I'm not at all sure where the day disappeared to. The lucky winner of Backcountry Betty Crafting with Style: Nature-Inspired Projects is...

...commenter #11, Psycheknits. She says:

Well, if  you're a Girl Guide (or Girl Scout), something tells me you're going to get a lot of use out of this book! Congratulations! (Email from me on the way.)

This week I'm going to go all out and give away TWO prizes. That's right. Two lucky winners will receive an assortment of Bamboo Baby yarn from Patons. The silky soft feel and lovely colours will be a delight to work with and whatever you make from it will surely be treasured for years to come.

I'm looking for a little inspiration these days, so to enter this week's contest, leave me a
link to your favourite Canadian craft blog. As usual, the contest closes Friday at 5 p.m. and I'll post a winner next Monday. Good luck!!

Hi friends,

Well, I had a look at the weekend forecast and it looks like many of us might be in for a bit of rain in the next couple of days. (Again!) I'm trying to look on the bright side, though, and think of the rain as the perfect excuse to get some crafting done. That way I can run outside as soon as the sun appears...and not feel guilty about that half-finished baby sweater I'm leaving behind.

Just in case you're in need of a summer project, here are a few things that have caught my eye recently. If you've got anything to add, leave your links in the comments!

• I spent part of Canada Day "renovating" my ugly black-and-yellow camera strap. Karyn from Make Something has instructions here.
• Know a little someone who's going to sleep-away camp? He or she might appreciate one of these camp stuffies comforts from Wisecraft. (It's worth clicking through to see Blair's fabulous new blog header.) See her inspiration here, at Maya*Made.
• Speaking of Maya*Made, check out her downloadable pattern for fabric buckets. They seem like they'd be just as good at taming your yarn stash as they'd be at carrying all those summer essentials down to the beach.
• Meanwhile, over at Instructables, find instructions on making Altoid tin travel games. (Also via Maya*Made.)
• I haven't made my terrarium yet, and I'm glad I waited – check out this helpful terrarium how-to video on DesignSponge.
• Sherrie of Birch Bark Soap shares a loofah soap tutorial. (Her soap is lovely, and I can't think of a better teacher for your first bar.)
• This memory game from Inchmark has rainy-afternoon-at-the-cottage written all over it.
• I love the craft accessory pouches over at Purl Bee - my favourite is the button bag.

Have fun with whatever you're working on this weekend!

ps There's still time for you to enter Weekly Giveaway #9. Enter to win your copy of Backcountry Betty Crafting with Style: Nature-Inspired Projects by telling me about your favourite Canadian vacation destination.